Movie Review: Legion (2010)


Legion is the second movie in so many weeks with a theme riddled with supposed religious overtones (The Book of Eli being the other). Instead, however, of delving into the way spiritual power can lift the hopes of the downtrodden, first time director Scott Stewart’s vehicle delves into how the power of God can be merciless and crush. Everything.

And to be clear, I don’t mean crush in a sissified, hurt feelings kind of way. I mean crush in the manner a military wipes out an unprepared and underarmed foe kind of way. Throngs of the possessed, armed with supernatural powers, want to clear the earth of humankind. Praise be to God that archangel Michael (Paul Bettany), with his duffel bags full of armaments, is here to help save our unprepared asses.

Oh, wait a second . . . it’s God who wants the Earth cleared and our savior, Michael, has struck out on his own accord, convinced God doesn’t really want to start His experiment all over again? Yeah, we’re fucked if that is the case. At the center of the bullet barrage is the unborn child of a simple waitress named Charlie (Adrianne Palicki). It turns out he is the key to the survival of the human race and, at all costs, God doesn’t want him born. Legion has the makings of a good ‘ole shoot ’em up splatfest.

Yet for reasons only known to the writers of Legion (Peter Schink and Scott Stewart), there is a lot of unneeded character fluff added — in one scene Charles S. Dutton, in his typical preachy role, tries to reach out and understand the questionable choices made by tough guy Tyrese Gibson. Pretty much all those held up at the desert roadside diner (Dutton, Gibson, Palicki, Dennis Quaid, Lucas Black, Kate Walsh, and Willa Holland) have some form of an epiphany between the waves of too few onslaughts. I suppose it is only right, considering the end of days is upon them, but is there room in the 100 minute running time to give us enough to remotely care about these people? Not really; plus it tends to be of the mindless variety that drags the movie into neutral when it wants to be going full speed.

Muddling things up further is Stewart’s use of lighting, or should I say the lack thereof. Much of the film takes place in the dark and the camera angles employed during these times aren’t exactly the best to capture the fast paced action. Foreboding, yes; the ability to see what in the hell is going on, no. Let’s chalk this faux pas up to a rookie mistake.

Actually, there are plenty of rookie and veteran mistakes all around which ultimately keep Legion stuck between outrageousness and mawkishness. It never quite figures out what it wants to be. The biggest misstep in my opinion: Where is Satan in all this? Surely, with the wrath of God coming down upon His children, there would be opportunities a plenty to swallow up some souls or to twist a thorn in God’s side over (maybe take the side of man?). Perhaps in the sequel, of which this movie eludes may come, he’ll make an appearance.

Then again, I don’t think I care enough if he does.

Critical Movie Critic Rating:
2 Star Rating: Bad

2

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The Critical Movie Critics

I'm an old, miserable fart set in his ways. Some of the things that bring a smile to my face are (in no particular order): Teenage back acne, the rain on my face, long walks on the beach and redneck women named Francis. Oh yeah, I like to watch and criticize movies.


'Movie Review: Legion (2010)' have 19 comments

  1. The Critical Movie Critics

    January 27, 2010 @ 2:39 am Rube

    Legion ain’t nothin but a shitty remake of Terminator with wings.

  2. The Critical Movie Critics

    February 15, 2010 @ 2:12 pm General Disdain

    @ Rube

    Agreed. Lots of similarities between the two.

  3. The Critical Movie Critics

    April 7, 2010 @ 6:06 am Mhunter

    I agree with the previous comments and would like to add that I expected much more from the movie( was really impressed after watching the trailer, but the bitterer was my disappointment and regret after watching the movie itself.

  4. The Critical Movie Critics

    May 18, 2010 @ 5:01 am Gephardt

    There have been many movies with a religious theme. Starting with Constantine (which is awesome by the way) and ending with The Passion of Christ. Everything in between is just a manner to fill a few hours on a lonely afternoon.

  5. The Critical Movie Critics

    May 21, 2010 @ 6:01 pm mike canon

    The overall premise of the film is a little silly yes, but it’s incredibly original and it had so much potential.

    The film suffers from a handful of serious flaws that ruin just about everything good that the film has going for it. The pacing is horrendous. The action scenes are few, far between and horribly rushed and the down time in between them slows to a crawl. This time is used for each of the uninteresting, two-dimensional characters to melodramatically shed out stories of their troubled pasts. We just don’t care about ANY of them due to minuscule character development and a horrible script.

    The whole film is terribly written with some questionable scenes that seemed to have been written only for the convenience of the characters. The plot is pretty simple but mostly unexplained and full of holes. SO much is left in the dark and the main point of the film isn’t even explained so it’s hard to care at all during the supposed dramatic moments.

    Too much talking and not enough action for it to be a wicked B-movie and the overabundance of melodrama and terrible writing keep it from being a serious, dramatic epic.

    There are slivers of a good film and some great ideas that occasionally appear and the few, brief action scenes are fairly entertaining, but everything else is so terribly executed that it isn’t worth any kind of recommendation.

  6. The Critical Movie Critics

    June 15, 2010 @ 11:11 am milan

    I was speechless on seeing the graphics and animation part of the movie in trailer… but on screen couldn make out the exact story or whats the characters upto…very scarce thought… really felt it could be even more better…!!!

  7. The Critical Movie Critics

    June 18, 2010 @ 7:58 am Adelaide Murray

    I saw this move yesterday. One word: It’s pathetic. The concept of God wanting to wipe out mankind is itself gross. Grow up!

  8. The Critical Movie Critics

    August 2, 2010 @ 9:20 am mr. anime

    this film was OK. It was dull about how they were speaking about God. Lies.. well i thought the ending was so dull, and wow, what a waist of funds to make the film, and to see it..

  9. The Critical Movie Critics

    August 6, 2010 @ 1:08 pm olan cesta

    I’m a great fan of good movies, especially Sci-Fi & Action but I didn´t enjoyed this movie at all.

  10. The Critical Movie Critics

    August 16, 2010 @ 7:33 am frases

    I desired to like this film, the only issue is it’s giant shoes to fill. The two films that come to mind, obviously, are “Tales from the Crypt: Devil Knight” with Billy Zane (rated a 6.6/10 here) which tackled the whole “end of the world/standoff in diner/lone hero fighting alongside the tiny guys against a legion of bad guys” thing 10 times better and “The Prophecy” with Christopher Walken (also rated a 6.6/10 here) which tackled the whole “good angel versus bad angel/showdown on earth” thing 10 times better. Both came out in 1995 and while they didn’t have the special effects that this one had, they had a cohesive story, GREAT acting and believable characters.
    The net is going to crucify this film, so I am going to break it down basically: The first hour or so is lovely, and if it had stopped at the 70 minute mark, it could come close to the 6.x rating it is getting now. The last 30 minutes is a rushed, hatchet job that will make you regret seeing this film.
    Also, SHAME on the editors of the film trailer for spoiling the two best scenes of the film (the elderly lady “reveal” and the ice cream man “reveal”.) I detest when you do this. You stole all of the impact those scenes had and lowered my rating by a point.
    Don’t pay to see this film, rent “The Prophecy” and “Tales from the Crypt: Devil Knight” in lieu.

  11. The Critical Movie Critics

    October 26, 2010 @ 7:25 pm virago

    sorry
    but i Found this film is a piece of sh…
    SF fan expect more much

  12. The Critical Movie Critics

    December 1, 2010 @ 5:39 am Mathew Daniela

    The only thing this movie is good for is to go to sleep.

  13. The Critical Movie Critics

    January 4, 2011 @ 8:50 am Bishop

    It was a very shabby movie. The stars that played in it should have noticed the shotty acting, and done something about it. Everything just seemed cheesy to me. Wouldn’t watch it again.

  14. The Critical Movie Critics

    February 7, 2011 @ 4:53 pm Jeffrey M.

    I was hoping that this movie was going to be more like the movie Constantine, but I was so wrong. This movie was terrible. Rube said it well when he compared it to a bad version of The Terminator with wings! The plot really interested me and could have been made into a great film, but I think they just tried way too hard…

    -Jeffrey M.

  15. The Critical Movie Critics

    March 17, 2011 @ 1:20 am Evar

    I expected much more from the movie (was really impressed after watching the trailer), but the bitterer was my disappointment and regret after watching the movie itself.

  16. The Critical Movie Critics

    September 20, 2011 @ 3:26 am crib

    I like these kind of movies but I really don’t like the main guy actor (I don’t know his name) so I probably wouldn’t have watched this is cinemas but I might online.

  17. The Critical Movie Critics

    March 11, 2012 @ 8:07 pm kenny

    Legion was good why would any one say its like terminator cuz they had metal wings. So if they put anything metal in a movie like a car are gun its like terminator thats crazy. If a movie can not be made with some unbelivable parts in it an people talk bad about the moive whats the point of making movie. Movie are made so we can come home form work an get away form the real world an all the bad going on every day. Movie are to have some family time. If the movie is unbelivabel watch the NEWS all day every day for a few days maybe thin the movies will be enjoy

  18. The Critical Movie Critics

    March 22, 2012 @ 6:02 pm Orkute

    this blur was OK. It was addled about how they were speaking about God. Lies.. able-bodied i anticipation the catastrophe was so dull, and wow, what a waist of funds to accomplish the film, and to see it..

  19. The Critical Movie Critics

    May 11, 2012 @ 1:04 am yasir

    There accept been abounding movies with a religious theme. Starting with Constantine (which is alarming by the way) and catastrophe with The Passion of Christ. Everything in amid is just a address to ample a few hours on a abandoned afternoon.

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